This happens every summer: I get a new pair of cute sandals that fit nicely in the store, and then the first day out - bam! Sore feet and blisters. This may sound familiar to fellow fans of soft adventure travel. Non-stressful hiking, plus walking tours, pretty much make up the kind of summer vacation (non-aquatic) exercise I get. That’s why, for me, the who-knows-what-technology-based stuff that goes into Gore-Tex fabric, makes their shoes a real plus. The Gore-Tex fabric is waterproof and wicks away heat, and feels kind of squishy in the sole (but it’s not a gel-based insert, so the TSA won’t make you surrender you shoes on the airport security line). My Ecco and Clark’s shoes have the Gore-Tex insignia, and Merrell, New Balance, and Timberland brands also use the special patented fabric. The company joined with the Adventure Travel Trade Association to suggest a Top 10 list of Summer Adventure Travel Vacation Destinations.

Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations, via Gore-Tex and the Adventure Travel Trade Association

• Australia - From the walkabouts to the rain forests of Queensland to the Great Barrier Reef, there’s adventure travel of almost all sorts here. If shopping is more your summer vacation speed, spend that cash in Sydney and Melbourne.
• Brazil - The jungles here are disappearing at a rapid clip; tourist dollars may show the government a viable alternate use of this great resource. And the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana are fantastic!
• British Columbia - start at my favorite airport hotel, and have fun in Vancouver, Victoria, and Granville Island for your summer vacation. Migratory marine mammals like whales spend their summers here too; they have the right idea!
• California - Even Los Angeles, with its sad reputation as a faceless city of strip malls, has some challenging hiking trails. I’d also suggest a drive north to Santa Barbara, my favorite spot along the Central Coast. There are also Napa Valley and other less famous “wine countries.”
• France - Can’t beat Paris as a cultural, historic walking city, but you might wear out your shoes trying to see it all. Then there’s Provence, Versailles, biking in the Pyrenees (bordering Spain), and the forests of Fontainebleau. Adventure travel and luxury vacations both fit together perfectly in France!
• Madagascar - The Malagasy, native to Madagasacar, could really use some tourism dollars. The forests of this unique island are disappearing at a pretty rapid clip, and ecotourism may help stem the loss. The lemurs, chameleons, and other interesting critters are endemic to Madagascar, and need their habitat to continue starring in all those nature specials.
• Nepal - Kathmandu is the star here, of course, though getting to Nepal is an adventure in itself. Nepal would be the right fit for someone seeking a special, unique cultural trip; if that’s you, visit Boudhanath Stupa, home to Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.
• New York - New York City is hot, humid, and gross in the summer - I lived through too many summers there to be in denial. But the Hudson Valley, Niagara Falls, and Adirondacks region are all lovely.
• Norway - This one was included on the Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations list, presumably because it’s too dark and cold to vacation there in the winter. The gorgeous waterfalls and fjords can be toured via walking tours, or hiked and splashed in by more intrepid vacationers.
• Switzerland - An outdoor adventure vacation would feature a hike up the Alps, and possibly hang-gliding back down. Leisure travelers can explore Basel, Geneva, and Zurich.

These disparate vacation destinations were chosen by the quality of both adventure and leisure travel options. Factors considered include uniqueness and authenticity, adventure activity resources (bicycling, hiking, etc), need for sustainable tourism, and undiscovered or little known natural and cultural assets. I think this list represents a nice blend of very popular summer travel spots, and some that are less so.

And me? Well, I have 2 weeks of vacation travel in New York planned for this summer, one of which is in the humid stickiness of NYC. In August! Wish me luck.

NativeEnergy helps travelers purchase legitimate carbon offsets, to make vacations more carbon neutral. Community based, Native American, farmer-owned renewable energy projects are supported through NativeEnergy. The benefits are not just environmental, but economic and social as well. With sponsors like Ben & Jerry’s, Aveda and Clif Bars, Native Energy works to both end global warming and build positive businesses for family farmers and Native Americans.

The Untied Nations World Tourism Organization reports that the travel industry alone produces 5% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Megan Epler Wood, a partner at NativeEnergy, says that travel-related carbon dioxide emissions will grow by 75% in the next decade unless people do something about it. And really, with the ice caps melting, droughts, and new record high temperatures every summer, how much more global warming can we responsibly allow to happen? On the other hand, vacations and travel are one of life’s joys.

NativeEnergy’s “10 Reasons to Go Green” for the travel industry are interesting. Not every reason is feasible. I agree with the philosophy behind this list, at least!

1. Green companies save money by reducing their energy outputs.
2. Global warming is threatening travel destinations all over the world.
3. Over 50% of potential customers are more likely to choose travel packages that show a commitment to environmental responsibility.
4. Preparing reports that include carbon footprints (and reductions thereof) and click-through carbon offset purchase options online can position travel companies as being innovative leaders.
5. Green designs are cost efficient and will attract more environmentally aware customers.
6. Providing more responsible transportation options will also attract travelers who are concerned about the carbon impact of their vacations.
7. Plans for more environmentally responsible transportation and lodging are in the works, and will become essential in the future for green travel.
8. The travel industry must prepare to report on industry-wide green policies and how it’s responding to environmental issues as legislative efforts become more common.
9. Finding strategic environmental partners will help the travel industry respond to global warming.
10. An environmentally responsible travel policy for the industry shows concern for the world as a whole, and the people most affected by the climate crisis.

The Specialty Travel Agents Association (STAA) has its 2008 Best Destinations travel trend destinations selections up. This “Top 10″ type list obviously has to leave out a lot of great vacation spots, and includes none in the United States’ Lower 48. However, there is much to commend about this list of interesting international destinations. Take a look: I’ll give my opinion on the travel spots, and you tell me what you think, too.

In no particular order, the STAA Best Destinations for Travel in 2008:

Quebec City, in Canada: July 3rd marks Quebec City’s 400th anniversary, and the celebration will not only be festive, but also will recognize all the outdoor activities, festivals, culture and history that makes Quebec City a top vacation destination. This will be an eight month long celebration (you read that right - what a party!) with genuine French Canadian flavor.
Australia: Europeans are increasingly taking their holidays in Australia (the favorable exchange rate may have something to do with this), and resort hotels are correspondingly becoming more luxurious. But it’s not all luxury travel of course - there’s plenty of budget lodgings and eco travel opportunities in the Land Down Under. It ranks as one of my top places I’d like to see, as well.
Hawaii: Hawaii, and Maui in particular, is consistently voted the most popular tropical vacation island by those in the know (Conde Naste, Travel & Leisure, etc). It’s also the top honeymoon vacation state in the U.S., with each island offering its own unique take on what it means to be in Hawaii. Another plus: I’ve never had bad weather for more than an hour or two there. The weather is perfect.
China: The Specialty Travel Agents Association has chosen China as a best destination largely because of the upcoming Beijing Sumer Olympics games. However, more recently there have been some seriously disturbing issues - those that even make the news - regarding exactly how China is preparing for the games (prettifying a large, polluted urban area seems to mean dislocating a lot of long-time residents), and the country’s sanctioning of murdering monks in Tibet has led at least one country (France) to consider boycotting the Olympics. No country’s politics are perfect, of course, but with all the other great places to visit in the world, I know I have no travel plans for China in the immediate future.
The US Virgin Islands: Okay, I’m biased - my honeymoon was in St John, and in as such it remains one of my most favorite tropical vacation isles. St. John is 2/3 National Park land, and is the least developed of the three US Virgin Islands. St. Thomas has the most hotels and resorts, as well as the best shopping, whereas St Croix has tourism opportunities and what is considered the Easternmost part of the United States. The local saying goes, “Vacation on St. John, Shop on St. Thomas, and Live on St. Croix,” and that pretty much holds true.
India: It’s a large, geographically diverse country, so it would probably take more than one trip to truly get to know India. STAA recommends India for ecotravel - Bengal tigers are an endangered species, and there’s not much time left to see them in their natural state. And the Taj Mahal, needless to say, is also a huge draw.
Argentina: STAA recommends Argentina for those of us travel lovers who have been struggling with the dropping value of the American dollar. Rather than not travel at all, its suggested that Argentina’s bang for the buck combines well with many tourist friendly activities, top-notch restaurants, and boutique hotels.
Vietnam: STAA suggests that Vietnam is the Next Best Thing in terms of luxury golf vacations, calling it the “next premier golf destination.” Really? Well, I’m not sure that golf travel packages in Vietnam will ever be on the same level as Scotland or Hawaii, but it has many other tourist friendly attractions. It’s a very affordable country to visit, for one, and two, the Vietnamese people are among the world’s nicest, most optimistic - Buddhism teaches kindness and forgiveness, and most people in Vietnam are Buddhist.
France: Ah, France! A Top 10 Travel list just wouldn’t seem legit without La Belle France. It’s the most popular country in the world for travel, and has everything any vacation lover could want. Luxury travel is practically defined by the French Riviera, and those of us who appreciate the fine arts go gaga over the Louvre and Orsay in Paris. 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to a French peasant girl in Lourdes, and seeing that six million people make a religious pilgrimage there already, Lourdes is sure to be a top travel destination this year.
Alaska: Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations (with a pit stop in Vancouver, BC). Just as India’s Bengal tiger population is shrinking, so are those glaciers. Environmentally aware tourists are wanting to see the melting ice before it’s too late. The cruise ship vacations to Alaska are, of course, most popular in the spring and summer; it’s too cold for most travelers to come out of their cabins in the winter! The gorgeous scenery, combined with the summer home of many migratory species, makes cruising here an enormous draw.

While I don’t agree with all the destinations on this list being the top 10, shortlists are hard. Winnowing down all the terrific places to see in the world to 10 is never going to please everyone, after all! I give STAA credit for their obviously well thought-out list, but I’d switch out China for a less controversial country, and perhaps replace Argentina with Belize, Costa Rica, or another Latin American country with a stronger emphasis on eco travel and environmentally responsible tourism. But that’s just me - what’s on your Top 10 travel destinations list? I’d really like to know; there’s a comments section below.

In my previous Arts in New Orleans I and II posts I wrote about the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Today’s post is about the Contemporary Arts Center located at 900 Camp Street, across the street from the Ogden. Many years ago the building was a K&B Drugstore warehouse. Today, it’s a spacious, 10,000 square-foot multi-disciplinary arts center. The entire building shouts “creative”. Even the transition between the first and second floor is a cool circular ramp.

During my visit to CAC one of the exhibits was called “Something from Nothing”. 15 international artists were invited to New Orleans to create something from nothing. Jay Weigel, CAV Executive/Artistic Director, explained the artists started their projects without any supplies and were to beg, borrow, barter, or find the items used in their works. My interest was piqued. And that explained the hard-to-miss “cloud” suspended over the entrance. Moms, can you find the “Boppy” among the mesh of mattresses and pillows in the photo above?

Another display of interest consisted of stacks of filing cabinets filled with live plants and a water-fountain. Genius! Who would think unattractive office filing cabinets could be turned into something serene? Interestingly, the CAC’s eye-catching front desk (made of colorful glass plates and shaped in a semicircle) was designed by Gene Koss whose work is displayed in the Harrah’s hotel lobby where I stayed during this trip to New Orleans. Admission is $5 and students and seniors are $3. Be sure to stop in, you never know what may be on exhibit.

What’d you do last night?

Maybe you played board games with your kids … went out to a movie with your hubby … stayed in and caught up on Tivo’d shows.

I was sitting on a dirt floor in a circle with 16 new friends in total darkness with perspiration dripping down my body in a Mayan sweat lodge.

Most of the time, when I wasn’t breathing deeply (hoping I wouldn’t be the only participant to “clap two times” if you freak out from claustrophobia and have to exit the domed structure), I kept thinking about what my husband and my kids were doing at the same time. It’s likely they were finishing up spaghetti and meatballs and getting ready for bedtime stories, while Mommy was participating an ancient Mayan ceremony in the jungle, purifying my body and mind to be reborn a warrior. (Hey, every mama needs a little fighting spirit in her, right?)

The Dos Palmas Mayan Ceremonial Night program brings visitors into the jungle where a small Mayan community lives, so that the extended family doesn’t have to leave their village homes to work in the hotels in nearby Tulum or Playa del Carmen. It’s a way for them to sustain their way of life, and maintain ancient rituals at the same time.

Before we spent about 20 minutes in the Temazcal (sweat lodge) we first asked permission to enter the sacred circle. (See photo above, where participants are about to gather around the short walls surrounding the fire; the domed structure is the Temazcal.) To ask permission, we all had to blow conch shells (mine sounded like a lame toot, not a strong bugle) to the north, south, east and west, as well as to Mother Earth at our feet and the Universe up above (much like the Native Mystical wedding I witnessed the day prior).

Entering stone Temazcal represented returning to the mother’s womb, so we could be free of all present-day worries. Indeed, the male Mayan healer (Shaman) led us through some meditation exercises to help purify our minds and bodies, shedding our fears and anxieties. Once we were completely “free,” we left the lodge to swim in the nearby cenote (underground river) to rinse off. Unfortunately, the night was cold, so most of us weren’t up for a cool-water swim. But we did all sit down for a traditional Mayan meal served by the women in the community: chicken, beans, rice, empanadas and hand-made tortillas. All washed down by decidedly non-Mayan beer.

When I left my home in Colorado on Wednesday it was 10 degrees Fahrenheit, with light snow falling. Right now in Tulum, Mexico, it’s about 80 degrees, sunny and humid. My skin is drinking in the moisture!

Thanks to new friends at the Rivera Maya Tourism Board, I’m on a research trip to learn more about this region of the country, which stretches along the coast south of Cancun to Tulum. I’m staying at the all-inclusive, ultra-lovely Dreams Tulum, which is extremely popular for destination weddings. There are 300 wedding ceremonies held on the beach or in the 40-seat chapel every year, mainly for American and Canadian couples. Three events are scheduled for this weekend, and I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. (The romantic in me loves weddings — anybody’s weddings!)

My “Dreams Junior Suite” at the resort is elegantly comfortable, with a contemporary Mexican decor. The buttercream walls, dark wood accents, and soft gold, pumpkin, and taupe bedding and draperies lend a sophisticated feel to the tropical setting. I haven’t had time yet to soak in the huge Jacuzzi tub in the marble bathroom, but it’s on the agenda. Above is the view from my third-floor balcony; I look down to a courtyard with life-size chess and checkers, and that’s the ocean in the distance.

Yesterday our group of journalists (and about 800 other tourists) visited the ruins of Tulum. These are well preserved walls, temples, foundations and other structures the Mayans built out of rock from about 1200 to 1500 A.D. The ruins are set on a cliff right next to the beach, and you can cool off into the beautiful turquoise Caribbean Sea after touring the ruins in the hot sun.

We also had fun snorkeling at Xel-Ha, a vast “ecological water theme park” where you can also swim with the dolphins, ride innertubes down a freshwater river, sample snuba, ride bikes, paddle kayaks or simply kick back in one of the many hammocks strung between palm trees (see below). Admission is pricey, $75 for adults (with some activities like the dolphin swim costing extra). But guests staying in Cancun or anywhere on the Riviera Maya can buy a package from any number of outfitters that combines a guided tour of Tulum with a half day at Xel-Ha, including transportation from your hotel, drinks, snacks and lunch. Or, if you do choose to spend the entire day at the eco-park, get there early and just plan to get your money’s worth!

It’s never been easier to be a solo road tripper. Sure, the truckers have had CB radios since, like, forever, but the advent of Sirius radio and MP3 players made long hours spent of the road less tedious. Nothing like a fine selection of our favorite tunes to pass the time! I especially love the iPod Shuffle, because - when the highway stretches interminably in front of us, with nothing of particular interest on either side, wondering what song will pop up next can actually pass for a reasonable amount of excitement.

When travel writers have a press trip somewhat near home base, it’s a given that we’ll drive. Many other travel lovers choose long distance solo trips for either finances or convenience. Some of us may even opt for long drives alone for peace of mind; it can, after all, get a little meditative out there, alone. But let’s face it - gas is expensive, fossil fuels are in decreasing supply, and it’s probably a good idea to work towards leaving a lighter carbon footprint. I carpool when I can, which helps, but I don’t drive a hybrid (call me when they make station wagons electric and affordable). What else can the solo road trip lover do to help reduce greenhouse gases, without too dramatic a lifestyle change?

Here’s what I suggest: Switch from AAA to Better World Club. The Better World Club offers everything that triple-A does, without any of your membership fees going to the highway lobby (as with AAA). The Better World Club offers discounts on hybrid rental cars, discounts on eco-travel, and helps fight global warming by offering it members free carbon offsets (when purchasing airline tickets through BWT). Better World Club donates 1% of its revenue to environmental cleanup, and even offers roadside assistance for bicycles. Triple-A, on the other hand, uses some if its revenue to lobby against mass transit, bike paths, and the Clean Air Act. Now, this makes sense from a business standpoint - the more people in cars, the more people using AAA, right? But since Better World Club offers the same good stuff as AAA, without your money going towards things that actually increase your carbon footprint, BWC is the eco-friendly alternative.

It’s painless to switch to Better World Club. If you’re like me (somewhat environmentally aware, have garbage can set aside for recycling but won’t go so far as to actually do composting), then being a member of BWC is an easy way to live a little greener while still enjoying relatively guilt-free solo car trips.